Doe Eyes
by Micromyni
Summary: They weren't exactly puppy eyes; they weren't brown and couldn't be called innocent by any means...but they had their charms. She wasn't exactly cuddly like a kitten; she was skittish and flighty. Like a doe. AU TamakiXHaruhi, slight HunnyXReiko, MoriXOC
1. Chapter 1

**Twilight: H-Hey, guys…**

**Kage: You dare to show your face?**

**Twilight: …Yes?**

**Kage: You sicken me. You haven't even finished your next chapter for your Bleach **

**story! Not that I was looking forward to it or anything…**

**Twilight: I'm going to do this anyway. I HAVE to get the story idea out of my head. **

**Kage: …Whatever. I'm outta here. I don't do shoujo.**

**Twilight: FINE! I DON'T NEED YOU ANYWAY! I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.**

**

* * *

**

_. Doe Eyes ._

… _an Ouran High School Host Club fanfiction_

_--_

_Doe Eyes © Dragon of Twilight  
Ouran High School Host Club © Bisco Hatori_

_This introduction format © B a y o – B a y o_

_--_

CHAPTER O N E:  
_"A Tanuki"

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_

"Ow! Keep still! No, no kicking. Please don't kick—OW!"

The sounds of the fierce struggle stirred the quiet early morning air, punctuated with loud bays and piercingly human-like squeals. White plumes blew into the morning darkness from both of the fighting pair.

Both the diminutive deer and the girl panted as the long, pointless struggle drew to a close, Zenmyo—current volunteer at the local animal rescue center—casting the small doe pinned against the fence a reproachful green-eyed glare out through skewed glasses as she coughed slightly on the cold, dry air.

"Why do you do this to me every morning, Mika?"

Mika simply blinked at her with those huge, soulful brown eyes before promptly attempting to escape her grip, kicking the girl's already-bruised shins with those sharp little hooves. Zenmyo briefly clenched her jaw against the pain, feeling tears come to her eyes before pinning the deer firmly against the fence with her knee.

Swiftly transferring the drenching bottle full of medication from her left hand to her right, she tilted Mika's head up and jammed the bottle into her mouth, angling it past the sharp teeth and pouring the bitter medication down the sika deer's throat.

Mika squealed, but Zenmyo didn't let up—she knew Mika was adept at holding the medicine in the back of her throat and coughing it out all over her with snorts and little rolls of her tongue. It was rapidly becoming a battle of wits that Zenmyo hoped that Mika would be gone before she'd lose.

The drenching bottle was soon empty and Zenmyo released the doe with a relieved groan. Mika gave her one last kick as she pranced away.

_I don't blame you. I'd hate to have someone force medicine down _my_ throat every day. _Grimacing, Zenmyo ran her hand tiredly through the frizzy brown mop of hair. She whimpered as her hand was almost immediately captured by the snarled tangles.

She hadn't bothered to get ready for her volunteer work at the clinic beyond pulling on a clean set of clothes and brushing her teeth. The worried people bringing in injured and wild animals didn't give a crap about what she looked like, she reasoned. Clinic duty started at nine in the morning, so she had some time to kill anyway.

_Oh, clinic duty… _She moaned miserably as she started back toward the barn, exiting the paddock on aching legs. _It's not even eight AM yet and I already know that this is going to be a bad day!_

She passed the many stalls and their snorting, chirping, and grunting occupants as if in a daze, only snapping out of it as a hard head thumped her elbow as she passed. She gave the buck's antler-endowed head a brief scratch.

Buck was one of the long-term patients at the clinic; having been hit by a car a month earlier, he was still heavily weakened and confined to his stall with a broken leg that stubbornly refused to heal. He was friendlier than Mika and was one of Zenmyo's favorites. The deer's fur was rough and pricked her palm lightly, but she didn't really mind. The small pinpricks distracted her from the aching, rhythmic cramping in her abdomen. Oh, yes, this was going to be a bad day.

"I don't wanna get ready for work today, Buck!" She groaned dramatically, slumping against the stall door. Buck sniffed at her face before nibbling at her hair in reply. "Yeah, yeah, I know…I promised Nodoka I'd be there early today…"

She spent a few more minutes petting her favorite patient before entering the back room of the veterinary part of the clinic that was connected directly to the stables. She breathed in deeply as warmth washed over her; someone had let a bag of stomach powder burst on the floor and the spicy smell helped clear her slightly running nose from the cold outside air.

"Zenmyo! Oi, Zenmyo!"

The girl turned, cringing reflexively as the lights were turned on. She recognized Nodoka's form in the doorway, hands on her wide hips.

Matsumoto Nodoka was a woman in her early fifties, though she looked in her late twenties with her unlined face and bright blue eyes. Her long black hair had two small braids that often had the appearance of devil's horns. A small smile adorned the older woman's deceptively gentle-looking face, though her eyes glittered with devilish amusement.

"Ah, I see you're already done with your outdoor tasks, as you promised. Very diligent of you, Zen-chan~!"

Zenmyo winced at the mangling of her name and the effect the drawl had on it. She thought mournfully, _She always does that…_

Nodoka hadn't slowed down in the slightest in all the years Zenmyo had known her, and had remained an evil prankster. Lately, the black-haired woman had made it her mission to "get Zen-chan some friends", which was protested but ignored.

"So, since it's early and you look like crap, I'm going to put you on desk duty to force you to clean up." Nodoka informed her cheerfully, grin alive with a kind of casual wickedness.

"W-What?!"

"I'm going home early today to meet my brother. He's visiting for this week, so the clinic's all yours." Nodoka explained sweetly, ignoring the stricken expression on Zenmyo's face. "You're going to meet the customers, put the animals in their cages, feed them, medicate them, take emergency calls, and go out to collect the wild animals causing trouble."

"WHAT?!"

"Congratulations, Zen-chan, you've been promoted!"

"_I never asked for this_!"

* * *

**Ring-ring! Ring-ring!**

Zenmyo sighed quietly, directing a mournful look at the sun shining through the window before dragging her attention to the phone ringing from all the way across the room. She got up and maneuvered around the many pet carriers Nodoka habitually left lying around in case of an escaped animal.

After that fox escape, Zenmyo couldn't blame her.

"Assistant Yuhi speaking, Nodoka-san is out. What can I help you with?" The automatic response rolled off her tongue in a smooth monotone she briefly allowed herself to feel proud of before the clipped, businesslike tone on the other end of the line made her stiffen and listen intently.

"This is Head Nurse Matsuo at Ouran Academy."

Zenmyo felt her eyes widen. _Ouran Academy? That rich-people school with the gold gates?_

"I've spotted a wild tanuki that appears frequently on school grounds and I've requested frequently that you come and the filthy creature, but each time I've called I've been told you were 'too busy'." The woman was obviously displeased, the irritated note in her tone increasing as she continued. "I hope that you won't tell me the same, _assistant_?"

Zenmyo flinched at the venomous, condescending tone and felt tears prick at her eyes. She didn't do anything to this woman! "Y-Yes. I-I mean no! No, I'll be right there!"

"See that you hurry. I see the vicious creature now." _Click._

"Tanuki aren't 'vicious creatures'. They're timid animals that mostly avoid _vicious_ humans like _you_!" She whispered fervently. Lowering her head so her newly-brushed brown hair hid her eyes, Zenmyo gave a small whimper and forced the tears back, placing the phone gently back on the hook.

_No crying. I'll get my glasses all salty._

That was an annoying habit that Zenmyo wished she didn't have; she cried very easily. Her mother had always told her that tears were nothing to be ashamed of, and Zenmyo shared that philosophy. She just wished that crying didn't stuff up her nose, make her face turn red and get her glasses all crusty with the salt from her tears. She wasn't ashamed, but it inconvenienced her quite a bit.

But a smile tugged at her lips all the same as she strode out into the sunshine, savoring the warmth on her pale, lightly freckled skin. Despite the coldness of the morning, she knew it would get much warmer in the afternoon and changed from her usual sweatpants and sweatshirt to a black tank top and a pair of gray cargo pants. Simple and comfortable.

Her eyes lighted on the simple black bike that she'd left leaning against the side of the building and frowned. There was a note stuck between the spokes of the back wheel and a long scratch in the painted metal frame. Carefully, she kneeled beside her bike and pulled the note free, grimacing as the wad of gum stuck to the note attached itself to her hand.

**Found ya, Chimp.**

Zenmyo frowned, recognizing the curly handwriting of one of the girls that regularly bullied her throughout middle school because of her rather large ears. Her hand drifted unconsciously to her ear.

_Those jerks…_She smiled wryly, pulling a pen out of her pocket and writing a reply.

Wheeling her bike onto the sidewalk, she stuck the note to the wooden bench in front of the clinic with the piece of gum before setting off for the huge school on the other side of town. She didn't really need directions; she could see the bell tower from there.

_Ouran Academy…_ A frown tugged at her lips as she let her thoughts drift, keeping an eye on the sidewalk in front of her for any pedestrian roadblocks.

She passed Ouran Academy almost every day on her way to the local university, which she frequently tried to forget her time at. She didn't look back on the memories with any particular fondness. Zenmyo passed the entrance exam with some effort and did well in all her classes—the only subject she'd ever had trouble with was history, though she was done with it by high school—but the university itself had a sophisticated feel that made her feel unworthy. Like she was a spider that needed to be squashed. Despite her mother being rich, they'd always lived modestly, saving almost all of their money.

Good thing, too. Her mother had died the year before. Having Zenmyo enter the university to begin her veterinary training had been her last wish.

Zenmyo sighed, coming back to herself. Lingering too long on those memories made her sad. It had been a turbulent time. She looked off to the side briefly and the sight caused her to slam on the brakes, sending her flying off the bike and tumbling onto a cool patch of glass.

"This is Ouran…" Her whole body trembled uneasily at the sight of such a titanic establishment. It looked like it had gotten even bigger since last week! _How the hell is this a high school? It looks more like a mansion!_

Zenmyo grimaced and glanced around, looking for somewhere to leave the bike where it wouldn't be stolen, finally wheeling it over to a tall, black-haired man in a uniform that vaguely resembled the hall monitors she'd had in her old school. He looked at her curiously, but he seemed friendly and that relaxed her slightly.

"Excuse me?" Polite and meek. "Can you watch my bike until I come back?"

His face was average but open and pleasant, and he looked at her with patient black eyes. "Of course. May I ask what you're here for? You don't look like a student."

Zenmyo blushed, glancing self-consciously at her rather revealing black tank top. Her chest was pretty flat and made her look much younger than she was, but she suddenly wished she'd brought a hoodie with her. She bent and unzipped the bag that sat next to the animal carrier attached to the back of the bike seat, retrieving her Yuhi Animal Clinic badge and flinched at the cutesy puppy design Nodoka had designed. She looked at him nervously as she handed it over; she'd never had to use it before.

He raised an eyebrow at the puppy and chuckled lightly. "All right; go on in. I was told about you. The tanuki was seen by the pond with the peeing cherub in it." His smile widened at Zenmyo's obvious confusion. "You'll see."

She nodded awkwardly and entered Ouran Academy, making her way through the grounds. Beautiful and complicated at first glance, she realized that they seemed to be divided into four sections set around the school. The sports fields and buildings for the Kendo and football clubs, sakura trees surrounding a large greenhouse for the Gardening Club, a huge rose maze, and a section of bushes, shrubs, and ponds. One of which had the bafflingly out of place peeing cherub. There also was a hot spring that looked fairly new and looked like it had been dug directly out of the ground. All in all, the entirety of the grounds was at least an acre.

_Makes sense_, she mused as she headed for the pond, tranquilizer gun slung over her shoulder. _If they didn't have some sort of layout, the new students would get lost._

A brown flash in her peripherals caught her attention, and she froze. Zenmyo crouched, eyes trained intently on the tanuki less than three yards from her, blissfully unaware of the pair of attentive green eyes trained on it. Zenmyo slipped the rifle from her shoulder, leveling it toward the animal. She didn't notice the alarmed eyes staring at her from the window.

It was obviously male (no explanation needed) and unusually large. Even its fur was thicker and groomed well, eyes shiny with health. She felt a bit of guilt as she regarded the innocent little animal, but didn't let it deter her from her mission. Zenmyo knew that if she didn't get the tanuki out of there, that nurse might request they start putting poison down. She winced at the very thought and inched forward, but froze when a twig snapped under her foot.

The tanuki jerked its head up and looked around, instantly catching sight of her the moment she pulled the trigger. The sharp sound seemed to echo across the grounds, and the tanuki seemed to fold in on itself as the dart embedded itself into the muscle of its leg. It let out a chattering cry and dragged itself into a bush, crying out like it was dying. Zenmyo raised an eyebrow at the theatrics even as she winced at the volume.

Nodoka had shot her with an empty dart as a warning not to go trigger-happy on the animals. It had hurt, but no more than falling on a pin would.

She slung the rifle back over her shoulder, carefully kneeling in front of the bush as the tanuki began to quiet from the sedative. She spotted the dart deeper in the bush—the tanuki had yanked it out on a branch, but had received the full dose.

"It's alright…" She whispered, gently easing the limp body out. The tanuki was unconscious now, but she always felt horrible after darting an animal; they never saw it coming. There was nothing she hated more than the helpless suffering of an animal.

As she stood, cradling the tanuki carefully in her arms, she blinked in surprise as she spotted a thin black band circling the tanuki's neck.

The panicked thought, _Rubber band?!_ Flitted though her mind, but she relaxed as she noticed the tag, which held a name as well as an address.

_Pome._

She smiled slightly. "Pome, eh? Well, Pome, let's get back to the clinic so I can call your owner."

Suddenly, loud shouts seemed to fill the air, along with the sound of running feet. Alarmed, Zenmyo turned just in time to see an extremely tall, black-haired boy launch himself at her with an unforgiving look in his steel gray eyes. A shrill scream ripped itself from her throat as her legs buckled instinctively, sending her down onto her knees. Her glasses went flying. The boy landed in front of her, and in one smooth motion, pinned her down onto her back. One hand clamped her shoulder to the ground hard enough to bruise, while the other tried to work the limp tanuki from her grip with terrifying strength.

She wasn't about to let the defenseless tanuki go to this terrifying person, and clamped her teeth on what she could reach—his exposed upper arm. At the same time, she brought her legs up to shove him off her with her feet.

She got a knee being pressed threateningly to her stomach for her efforts, pressing down slightly in an attempt to scare her into making her let go. She ground her teeth harder into his skin against the pain, but she began to whimper and tears rolled down her cheeks despite the adrenaline. Her vision, already obscured by the blue fabric of a uniform, began to narrow and blacken.

"Let go." The voice was deep and threatening, and she faintly knew it came from the boy on top of her.

"No!" She ground out through the mouthful of arm. Her vision darkened further. "I won't let you hurt him! Never!" The boy's grip slackened, but she didn't notice. A warm numbness had taken over, and she slipped into the darkness with a murmur.

* * *

**A/N: Don't kill me! **

**Signing out,**

**  
Dragon of Twilight!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Twilight: Hello…I'm sure you're wondering where the furry pain in the ass is. H-He's abandoned me. Apparently, he's a shonen-only muse, so I had to borrow my friend's. Sadly, she's deaf so he doesn't talk. But his name's John.**

**John: … **

**Twilight: Sigh…I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

* * *

**

_. Doe Eyes ._

… _an Ouran High School Host Club fanfiction_

_--_

_Doe Eyes © Dragon of Twilight_

_  
Ouran High School Host Club © Bisco Hatori_

_This introduction format © B a y o – B a y o_

_--_

CHAPTER T W O:  
_"The Host Club"

* * *

_

Zenmyo blinked several times, trying to clear her vision of sleep as she let out a low moan. She felt groggy and a headache pounded in her temples, so she was slightly grateful that her captor had the decency to leave the lights off. As she slowly slid into a more conscious state, she abruptly became aware that her arms were tied behind her back and her legs were bound to the two front legs of a chair, albeit a rather comfy one.

After a while of trying to free herself, she let her head hang low. Her eyes felt sticky with the salt from when she'd cried earlier. No matter how she twisted, she couldn't loosen the bonds and twisting only hurt her shoulders. Zenmyo knew that that boy that had attacked her had something to do with this whole situation, and she sat ramrod straight as she remembered the sedated tanuki with a jolt.

_What happened to Pome?! Did they hurt him? What's going to happen to me?_

Her body trembled and she bit her lip as fear began to creep up on her. She strained her ears, trying to hear anything that was being spoken. As she listened closely, she picked up voices. At first it was only an incoherent sound, but it grew closer to her and she was able to hear nearly every word with the approaching proximity of the speaker.

She recognized her attacker's deep voice with a jolt, and bit her lip fearfully as the voices drew closer.

"…woken up," he was saying. There was a pause before another voice spoke up. Zenmyo blinked in surprise; it sounded like a child.

"If Pome's okay, then what was she trying to do? Ne, what do you think, Kyo-chan?"

Another voice spoke up, smooth and businesslike, as if making a formal report. "I've checked the list of visitors due today; a girl of her description is not mentioned on it." The person sounded slightly displeased with this lack of information. "Judging from her firearm, she's from an animal control agency of some sort. But that shouldn't be since Mori-sempai already obtained permission to allow his pets on school grounds."

"Then—" One person spoke.

"What's she—" Another person's voice seamlessly picking up the sentence.

"Doing here?" Both together.

"That's what we're going to find out!" This voice was cheerful, but serious at the same time. "We must be gentle in getting answers. The young lady seemed pretty fragile."

"That bite mark on Mori-senpai's arm would suggest otherwise." A low-pitched female voice spoke up, tone as dry as the desert sun. "It's starting to bruise."

The childish one seemed concerned now. "Oh, wow, Takashi, it's getting all black and blue! Can you move your arm?"

The deep voice again. "Aa."

_Five boys, a kid, and a girl._ Zenmyo bit her lip hard enough to draw blood as she thought frantically. _If the kid's with them, then there's no chance I'll get him to help me. I might be able to take down the girl and the other guys by myself, but…_

A cold chill raced down her spine and she shuddered, remembering the solid wall of muscle that was accompanying her captors. There was no way she could take him out even despite the bruise she'd managed to make on him. Hell, the bite probably just made him angry.

She broke out in a cold, fearful sweat, and she felt anxious tears build up in the corners of her eyes. There was an extended amount of silence as she waited apprehensively to hear the next words spoken. She nearly had a heart attack when a door suddenly flew open to fill the dark room with light, the sight greeting her one of the strangest she'd ever seen.

Her eyes widened as she stared at the seven standing in the doorway, all of who peered at her in return with equal parts curiosity, wariness, and resignation.

They were all fairly attractive, and Zenmyo felt her cheeks heat despite her fear as she looked each of them over in turn._ Oh my…_

A boy with bright blond hair caught her attention first. He was almost painfully handsome with bright blue eyes and fine-featured face. Something about his posture and overly curious expression made her think he had a flair for the overdramatic. Behind him was a slender boy with black hair and glasses that caught the light, casting them an ominous white. He lowered his head a tad to look at her, and the hair rose on the back of her neck as she caught sight of his eyes. His lips were smiling, but his eyes were a slate gray and icy cold.

They seemed calculating, almost sly, and Zenmyo immediately looked away to escape their scrutiny, moving on to who she guessed had been the female voice. Next to the glasses-wearing boy was a gentle-looking female student with large chocolate brown eyes and short brown hair wearing the same uniform as the rest of them. Hovering over her protectively were two golden-eyed spiky-haired boys, both identical in almost every way right down to the suspicious narrow-eyed glare they were sending her way. The only glaringly obvious difference was that one had dark hair, obviously dyed despite having also dyed his eyebrows, and the other had a bright burnt-orange that seemed to be his natural color. Peering curiously at her was a small blond child with huge, puppy-like brown eyes clasping a large pink rabbit toy to his chest, while a small, contented smile played on his mouth. Something shrewd about those brown eyes told her that he was much older than he looked.

A curious bunch, that was sure, but as she caught sight of the person at the very back of the group it was fear instead of curiosity that she felt. Her mouth went dry as she locked gazes with a pair of impassive dark gray eyes.

He was even taller than she thought, probably topping six feet. Unlike the others, he wore a black t-shirt. His short, spiky black hair would have easily brushed the ceiling in her old apartment. Broad shoulders betrayed the great strength in his lanky frame, and her hands clenched on the armrests as she remembered the terrible power of those arms. Panic abruptly flashed through her as she spotted the groggy tanuki in the giant's grip. Without thinking, she lunged forward against her bonds.

"Put him down!" Zenmyo barked authoritively with a confidence she did not feel. Immediately, she shrunk down into the chair as seven pairs of eyes focused sharply on her. Meekly, she added, "T-The tanuki. He shouldn't be moved around while recovering from being sedated…"

The blue-eyed blond looked at her curiously, and turned to the tall one with a furrowed brow. "Mori-sempai?"

A crease formed in the giant's forehead and as a slight frown tugged at his lips. Zenmyo flinched visibly as his grip on the tanuki visibly tightened. The childlike one frowned briefly at her before his face split in an adorably goofy smile, leaping up onto the broad shoulders with surprising agility.

"Ne, Takashi, since she's the one who put Pome to sleep in the first place, shouldn't she know what to do when he wakes up?"

The giant—Mori? Takashi?—blinked, face clearing in comprehension as he nodded slowly. "Aa."

After shooting a slightly concerned look at Zenmyo as she flinched again at the deep rumble, the boy launched himself off her attacker's shoulders, disappearing with a cry, "Let's put Pome on the couch! Usa-chan will keep him company."

The object of Zenmyo's terror followed obediently. The tied girl almost collapsed while still in the chair, if that was even possible, when every tensed muscle in her body relaxed in sudden relief. She didn't notice the raised eyebrow from the glasses boy, instead focusing on the blond, who had stepped forward.

To Zenmyo's astonishment and discomfort, he bent courteously in a low bow, looking up sultrily at her from under his eyelashes. "Hello. My name is Suoh Tamaki, king of the Host Club. May I have your name?"

_What's a Host Club? _She could feel her ears turn red as she stared stupidly at him. Dumbfounded, she opened her mouth automatically, but hesitated when she abruptly remembered the bullying her odd name had gotten her. After a few second's furious debating with herself, she decided to tell them the truth.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "Z-Zenmyo. Yuhi Zenmyo."

Even if her eyes had been open, she probably wouldn't have noticed the suddenly stiff posture of the glasses-wearing boy or seen the sudden increase in speed of the pen scratching at the little black notebook he held out of sight.

"Zenmyo, huh?"

"The name of a goddess."

"That's a strange name—"

"—For one so plain."

She let out her breath in a resigned sigh at that and opened her eyes, only to jerk back with a stifled shriek. The twins had apparently shoved Tamaki aside to appear right in front of her and both leaned in uncomfortably close. Their identical suspicious expressions unnerved her even more.

"Hikaru, Kaoru!" Tamaki protested, waving his hands wildly. "That's not how you treat a lady!"

"But she's not a lady." The orange-haired twin said flatly.

"She's obviously a commoner, and a dangerous one at that." The black haired one interjected smugly. "She brought a gun to school. A _gun_, milord."

Tamaki hesitated, and Zenmyo's heart plummeted in her chest. The girl stepped forward, but the boy with the black notebook pinned her in place with a quick glance.

"So, Zen-chan." The black-haired twin leaned in close from the right, eyes narrowed and hard despite the friendly honorific. "What are you doing here?"

She leapt desperately at the opportunity to explain herself, nervously licking her dry lips. "I-I'm a volunteer at the animal rescue clinic on the other side of town…a-and I got a call about a wild tanuki from a nurse at this school." Tears of anxiety and confusion began to well up in her eyes, but she suppressed them in favor of anger. "I was trying to catch it so we could release it back into the wild! I didn't know it had an owner! And the nurse was so…so…" She bit her trembling lower lip.

A smooth, calm voice came from the glasses boy, and Zenmyo gladly looked away from the accusing glares from the twins to look at him. She immediately looked away again, averting her eyes to her lap. His eyes were calculating and emitted a kind of cold annoyance.

"Do you know this nurse's name, Yuhi-san?"

Frantically, she searched her memory. "M-Matsuo."

Briefly, he gave her a flat, assessing stare before penning something down in the notebook. Zenmyo eyed it, faintly curious before suddenly the black-haired twin was in front of her again, an impish grin on his face.

"Ne, Zen-chan~" He drawled her name in a manner horribly reminiscent of Nodoka. "Would you be interested in selling us one of those tranquilizer guns?"

The orange-haired twin slid up next to him, picking up the conversation with almost unnatural ease. "Haruhi is getting better at escaping us."

They both directed a mischievous look at the brown-haired girl, who countered with a casually deadpan expression that Zenmyo found herself envying fiercely. "Don't even think about it," she stated flatly.

Zenmyo heard Tamaki gasp dramatically, running over to Haruhi and moving to grab her in a protective hug while glaring malevolently at the twins. "Don't worry Haruhi, I'll protect you from those evil ruffians!"

Haruhi reacted in a way that Zenmyo would have found hilarious in a better situation, automatically shooting a hand out to connect with Tamaki's chin, holding him back while his arms strained uselessly to reach her as his head was craned back. Instantly, he disappeared, only to reappear hunching dejectedly in a corner, picking at something.

_Are those…mushrooms? _Bewildered, Zenmyo glanced from Tamaki to Haruhi, who seemed entirely unconcerned about the whole thing. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her face, and she jerked her head to see the black-haired twin again.

"So how about it, Zen-chan?" His hand slipped under her chin, tilting her head up to meet his eyes.

Zenmyo cringed away from him, her face burning at the proximity before she became abruptly aware that the orange-haired one was on her left, his hand on her arm while leaning closer as well. Terrified, confused beyond all belief and horribly embarrassed, she attempted bring her hands up to cover her face, only to be painfully reminded that she was still bound to the chair. This final reminder of her captivity was all that she could take. She started to cry.

These weren't the little whimpers and quiet keening she was used to, but great hysterical wracking sobs that hurt her stomach and turned her face a bright blotchy red. The twins jerked away as she wrenched her legs free from their bonds, leaving bleeding welts in her ankles to bring them up to her face, shielding her face from view as she continued to cry. Tears ran from her eyes in streams onto her bare knees, turning the dirt caked on them from her fall earlier to mud that smeared her face. She shut down, blocking out the world around her. Even when her arms were unbound, they hung limply at her sides, ignoring the hands that frantically shook her sore shoulders, tugged at her legs until they eventually left her alone to cry herself out.

And she did, coming back to herself with a sniffle and finding herself in the same room, though curled on the floor with Haruhi kneeling beside her, rubbing her back comfortingly in smooth, rhythmic strokes. Her ankles had been bandaged and her face wiped clean of dirt. Haruhi leaned over her worriedly, handing her a cool, soft handkerchief to dry her tears.

She hiccupped as she slowly calmed down, giving Haruhi a sheepish, grateful smile as she sat up. "T-Thank you."

Haruhi smiled back, soft brown eyes warm as she watched Zenmyo wipe her glasses off. "It's fine. Are you okay now?"

"Yeah." Zenmyo let out a heavy sigh, feeling exhausted while wiping roughly at her eyes, shuffling clumsily to sit with her legs crossed. "Just a little scared and overwhelmed."

Haruhi nodded sympathetically. "I know what you mean. They're good guys, but they really don't know how to react around girls who aren't customers."

Zenmyo placed her glasses back on her nose, and blinked rapidly as the other girl came into focus. "Your name is Haruhi, right? Who are they?"

"Oh! That's right." Haruhi tapped her fist against her hand in an adorable gesture of realization. "We never told you our names, well, except for Tamaki-sempai." Briefly, she shook her head in disapproval. "They really could've handled this better."

Zenmyo shook her head, self-consciously smoothing her light brown hair—messy again, she noted with displeasure. "To them, it must have looked like I killed the poor thing. Does…" She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "Does Pome belong to that…tall boy?"

Haruhi nodded, noting the sudden tension in Zenmyo's fragile frame with some concern. "Yes. His name is Morinozuka Takashi, but we all just call him Mori. He's quiet and doesn't talk much." She quickly moved on. "The one with the pink bunny is Mitsukuni Haninozuka, but he tells everyone to call him Hunny. He's Mori's cousin and they're always together. He's older than Mori, though." Her eyes seemed distant for a minute before snapping back to the present, giving Zenmyo a surprisingly sweet smile. "You'd never know it, huh?"

"No…" Zenmyo replied slowly, thinking back on the shrewd look in Hunny's liquid brown eyes. _I knew there was something about him…_

"The twins are the Hitachiin brothers, Hikaru and Kaoru. Hikaru's the black-haired one." She shook her head wistfully at some past memory. "Tricksters, both of them. Watch out for them."

Zenmyo smiled weakly, flushing lightly. "You don't have to tell me twice."

"Ootori Kyoya is the one with the glasses and black hair. He's the Vice President of the Host Club, but he's the real brain that runs the Club. He's the only reason we have the money to keep it running." She grinned slightly. "I call him the Shadow King. He likes to pretend he's an egoist, but deep down…" She hesitated. "_Really_ deep down, he's kind."

"And Tamaki?"

"He's an idiot." Haruhi supplied promptly.

For the first time that day, Zenmyo laughed. She laughed in her typical open fashion, mouth grinning and head thrown back. Haruhi giggled slightly along with her, though it was clear that she really didn't know why it was so funny; she'd just been telling the truth.

As she calmed, Zenmyo blinked as she remembered the question she'd wondered earlier. "Haruhi, what _is_ the Host Club?"

"A club here at Ouran that has the seven of us entertain the girls of the school. I'm in it because I broke a vase worth eight million yen and had to work it off." Zenmyo instinctively flinched at the amount, and Haruhi gave her a cynical smile. "Yeah, I know. Over the last year or so, I've managed to work off most of it." Haruhi looked equal parts exasperated and proud of this.

Zenmyo suddenly felt her lids drop over her eyes, a light wave of dizziness passing through her. She'd had enough for the day. "Uh, Haruhi? I don't mean to be rude, but may I go back to the clinic? I need to get back to work."

Haruhi jolted, looking startled. "That's right! You have to go back soon. But the others will want explanations…" She frowned thoughtfully, seeing the despair and alarm on Zenmyo's face. "I could explain for you, but—"

She was cut off as Zenmyo enfolded her in a light hug before leaning heavily against her shoulder. "I'd really…appreciate it."

Alarmed, Haruhi stiffened as the larger girl suddenly dropped her full weight on her shoulder. "Zenmyo?"

Zenmyo buried her head into Haruhi's small shoulder, slightly ashamed of her weakness, feeling guiltier as she felt Haruhi's concerned hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, Haruhi. Just a little tired."

"This isn't normal, is it?"

"For me it is. I'm fine."

Haruhi looked shrewdly at her for a long moment before looking off to the side, seemingly speaking to no one. "I can keep secrets, but you don't have to tell me. I'm not going to interrogate you, and if you need someone to listen, I'm here."

"…Thank you." Warmly, Zenmyo smiled, both at Haruhi's honesty and the fact she could feel strength trickling slowly back into her limbs. "But why?"

Haruhi shrugged. "I feel like I have to make it up to you. You were just doing your job and I didn't try to stop them from tying you up. Being your friend is the least I could do."

A sharp inhale. Zenmyo caught Haruhi's brown eyes with her own vivid green. "A friend? We're…friends?" Her voice was soft and filled with a longing that made Haruhi's chest clench briefly.

Haruhi stared briefly, taken aback by the hope in her voice. "Of course you're my friend. We're getting along, aren't we?"

"C-Can I…come back to see you?"

"If you'd like."

Slowly, Zenmyo's lips turned upward in a wide smile. "Alright!" Reaching out, she clasped Haruhi's lower arms gently. "Friends!"

Grinning slightly, Haruhi gripped back. "Friends."

* * *

**A/N: Well? How'd I do?**

**Signing out,**

Dragon of Twilight!


	3. Chapter 3

**Twilight: Geez, I'm on a roll! Take that, Kage! I don't need you after all! Right, John?**

**John: …**

**Twilight: …COME BACK YOU FURRY PAIN IN THE ASS! I…I miss you…*sobs* I don't own Ouran.

* * *

**

_. Doe Eyes ._

… _an Ouran High School Host Club fanfiction_

_--_

_Doe Eyes © Dragon of Twilight_

_  
Ouran High School Host Club © Bisco Hatori_

_This introduction format © B a y o – B a y o_

_--_

CHAPTER T H R E E:  
_"Fearful"

* * *

_

"Here's my number and address…"

"And here's mine. Hey…you live near the clinic!"

"You work there? I remembering dropping a stray cat off there; it was a calico with a completely white tail."

"I remember her! She was adopted less than a week after she was dropped off. A really sweet cat." Zenmyo tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully before sending a grin Haruhi's way. "You _have_ to stop by some time. I could really use the help."

The sheepish yet hopeful grin from the other girl made Haruhi laugh. "Sure. I'll stop by tomorrow."

Finally, Haruhi went to present a tense Zenmyo to the mass of worried Hosts waiting anxiously behind the door. She opened the door a crack, sighing with relief as she realized that the music room was empty of everyone except the Hosts.

Tamaki was pacing around the room worriedly, muttering under his breath. The twins watched him uninterestedly, making occasional comments that made Tamaki duck his head and pace faster, though they each looked slightly anxious. Hunny and Mori had taken up a seat on a couch near the window. The small boy seemed to be amusing himself by occasionally poking the slightly groggy tanuki on the larger boy's lap, though a small frown was present on his face. Mori sat quietly, a hand stroking Pome absentmindedly with a faintly thoughtful expression in his eyes. Kyoya seemed the only one unaffected by Zenmyo's breakdown, sitting at his usual seat, typing something in a calculator.

_Kyoya must have closed the club for the day._ She caught Kyoya's eye, and he nodded imperceptivity at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. She winced. _He probably added to my debt for that._

As if reading her mind, Kyoya smirked at her, typing faster with a kind of teasing deliberation that made Haruhi scowl. _Damn rich bastards!_

A shaking hand on her arm drew her attention the young woman quivering behind her. It would have been funny if it didn't seem so pitiful, someone trying uselessly to hide behind someone much shorter. Haruhi turned, giving Zenmyo what she hoped was a reassuring smile. It must have been strained, because she looked more frightened than ever, those impossibly vivid green eyes looking even larger through the magnification of her glasses.

Her offer of friendship was no lie; Haruhi sincerely liked this young woman. Her quiet, gentle nature was a refreshing contrast to the ever-excitable Tamaki, the mischievous twins and the calculating Kyoya. Not to mention the overwhelming sympathy Haruhi felt for her in suddenly being introduced to the Host Club by way of a tackle from the heaviest out of all of them.

Haruhi knew she'd have to go about this carefully. Zenmyo was unquestionably fragile, and her encounter with Mori-senpai had clearly scared her enough to make her faint. On top of that, the others had given a bad impression, overwhelming enough to make her cry. Though, the crying didn't bother Haruhi as much as the fainting. Her father's crying fits were somewhat similar; they were a coping mechanism.

Haruhi had an inkling that Zenmyo was more frightened of Mori than the combined efforts the Host Club had made to intimidate her.

She sincerely hoped that wasn't the case, but with Zenmyo's rapid, fearful glances at the couch near the window, she forced herself to be realistic. The fact than the older girl's hands began to visibly shake as she stared at Mori firmly confirmed Haruhi's speculations. She didn't think Mori would take the fact that Zenmyo was terrified of him well, either.

But Haruhi's train of thought was abruptly cut off as they were spotted. Tamaki rushed over, grabbing Haruhi's arm and yanking her out of the doorway. "Is she okay? She's not angry, right? Did you tell her we're sorry?" Suddenly, he paused, looking past her. "Uh…and where is she?"

Haruhi blinked, suddenly becoming aware that the hand on her arm had retreated. Startled, Zenmyo had let go of Haruhi's arm when Tamaki had grabbed her, fleeing clumsily back into the spare room.

Haruhi sighed heavily, shrugging off Tamaki's hands and briskly marching over to the door, reaching in, pulling a resisting Zenmyo out and frog-marching her over to Tamaki. "Try your best not to scare her, Tamaki-senpai. She's delicate."

Zenmyo scowled at her, but couldn't really contradict Haruhi's statement. A movement right in front of her had her leaping back, or she would have had Tamaki not grabbed a hold of her hands.

"Uh…T-Tamaki-san…" Her face flushed a bright red, and she tugged slightly at her hands in the hopes he'd get the hint.

"Oh, she looks uncomfortable, milord." The twin she knew now as Kaoru called from lounging on a couch next to his brother, who was picking at the assortment of sweets placed on every table.

Hikaru picked up the conversation easily, speaking through a cookie in his mouth. "She's the Shy Type."

_Shy Type? That must be some kind of Host-Speak._

"Oh!" Tamaki let go of her and bowed regally while flashing her a sincerely apologetic smile. "Well, I'm so sorry for tying you up, Zenmyo-hime." He clasped her hands again tightly. "We weren't sure of your intentions and overreacted. Please, let me make it up to you."

Zenmyo froze. _What did he just call me?_ She was torn between embarrassment and intense hatred.

She _hated_ pet names. She'd gathered so many over the years from so many different people that she couldn't tell if people were being antagonistic or not. She couldn't interpret people's intentions through words well, and she'd learned the hard way that not everybody wanted to be nice. Haruhi she trusted. Haruhi had gentle eyes and a soft smile. Haruhi wasn't one to lie. Haruhi wouldn't hurt her.

So it was Haruhi she retreated to, wrenching out of Tamaki's grip to return to the girl's side, addressing the Host Club nervously over Haruhi's much shorter shoulder.

"I-I'm very sorry for the trouble I've caused." She bowed low, hoping her messy brown hair would hide her burning face. Through the curtain of tawny strands, she nervously watched the Host's reactions.

The twins glanced at each other before making an identical dismissive gesture at the exact same time. "Eh, whatever," they intoned in unison.

Zenmyo felt her eye twitch.

The one she knew as Kyoya didn't even look up from his laptop, voice distracted and indifferent. "It was time to close for the day anyway, and the concern for Mori-senpai's pet will draw in more customers."

Astonished at the sheer, brilliant opportunism of this, Zenmyo almost straightened up to gape briefly at him. _He's like a vulture! _

She heard a snort from Haruhi and glanced over to look at her new friend. A grin tugged at her lips despite the tense situation as she watched Haruhi mouth the words, "Opportunistic bastard." A laugh drew her attention to the couch near the window, which was suddenly almost totally obscured by a mountain of sweets. A small hand waved from over it as Hunny laughed cheerfully, brandishing a fork.

"It's okay, Zen-chan! You were just doing your job." He leaned over and patted Pome, who purred under his touch.

Briefly forgetting exactly who was holding the tanuki, Zenmyo crossed the room without thinking, kneeling in front of the tanuki and holding out a careful hand. Pome looked at her with a friendly if wary attitude about him. Zenmyo caught his eyes, hoping that those beady black eyes could see how sorry she was and if he could possibly forgive her. A relieved smile formed on her face as Pome sniffed briefly at her hand before giving her fingers a cautious lick.

"You're so sweet." She murmured at the friendly mammal. She grinned slightly, gently stroking at his ears. "Does this mean you forgive me?"

As if in response, Pome jumped from the lap of whom he was sitting on to rub enthusiastically against her leg, pushing her over slightly. Laughing in relief, she sat and pulled Pome onto her lap, playfully ruffling his fluffy fur and giggling as he shoved his face into hers.

Hunny laughed happily, squeezing his bunny close. "He likes you, Zen-chan!"

"And I'm so glad!" She answered with a laugh, gifting the tanuki with a gentle hug. She looked around at the others to include them, smiling widely. "Thank you all for forgiving me."

Unnoticed by her, Mori had been watching the young woman thoughtfully for almost the entire time. When he'd seen her level the rifle at Pome from the window of the second floor, he'd immediately taken off for the grounds, fear and panic rushing through his veins. When he tackled her, he'd only thought of stopping her from taking his furry friend and when she actually bit him, he'd almost leapt back in shock. The determination to keep the tanuki away from him had given her unexpected strength, and he'd used more force than he meant to in keeping her pinned.

When she fainted, he realized his mistake and resolved to apologize to her once the Club had determined her motivations. Whether she meant harm or not, it didn't matter; he felt guilty for attacking someone so much smaller than he. The fact that they soon learned she was only doing her job made it worse. After observing her for a while, he'd determined that she genuinely didn't mean to cause trouble, and was in fact scared out of her mind. Now, he couldn't imagine that he ever thought that she was dangerous.

Zenmyo's frame was willowy and fragile, with small hands and thin arms. He noted that her clothes looked comfortable and easy to run in. Under her glasses, the glimpses he'd gotten of her eyes established that they were wide and anxious. A mop of tawny hair allowed her to hide those nervous eyes and her stance was always uncertain, ready to flee at a moment's notice. Skittish and frightened.

Now, she sat in front of him, fearless, a wide smile on her face as she played with Pome with all the enthusiasm of a fellow animal lover, ignoring the fur that was shedding all over her clothes. Mori could feel a warm smile curve his lips and he reached out, putting a hand on that tawny mop and ruffling. His indication that he'd forgiven her as well.

Her hair, though viciously tangled, was feathery to the touch, and as she looked up at him, startled, he caught a good glimpse of her eyes. An almost supernaturally bright green, they were like a cat's eye, and though lacking the slit pupil the color was the same. The round shape and how large they were reminded him of something, though a sharp gasp abruptly cut off his train of thought before he could grasp the answer.

Zenmyo couldn't help herself. Initially, when she'd felt the hand that was large enough to almost cover the top of her head, she'd been both amused that she was being treated like someone's pet and happy at the warm touch of another person. But when she looked up, all those warm emotions disappeared under a cold tide of terror, wrenching a gasp from her throat as she met a pair of gray eyes.

Jerking away so hard and fast that she tipped over onto her back, Zenmyo scrambled away from the tall, dark boy, only stopping when her back hit someone's legs. But her terrified green eyes didn't leave the now-startled gray ones.

_Mori._ Her brain supplied, almost against her will. _His name is Mori._ "Oh, I-I'm sorry, I j-just meant to—I didn't mean…" She babbled uncontrollably, scrambling to her feet and backing away. Even sitting down, he was much taller than she was, and his presence seemed to tower over her even from all the way across the room.

She continued to back away, stumbling over chairs and tables, all the while a constant stream of unintelligible babble flowed from her mouth. The harder she tried to stop, the more panicked and rapid the stuttering became. The relief she felt when the doorknob dug into her back was indescribable.

"I-I should get going now—"

Reach behind me…

"—Nodoka's probably waiting for me—"

Turn the knob…

"—So I'll stay away from Ouran from now on—see you later, Haruhi—"

And she was gone, bolting out of Music Room 3, running through the maze-like halls of Ouran to find a path that would take her home.

Everyone stared uncomprehendingly at the door as Pome scurried over to it, scratching a little at it.

"…She left her bag."

Everyone's eyes snapped to Kyoya, who didn't seem to want to acknowledge all the stares directed at him, and simply pointed to the bag at his side with his pen. Tamaki walked over to it, picking it up and looking at it blankly as Haruhi sighed.

"I'll have to bring it to her tomorrow."

Hikaru and Kaoru assumed identical thinking poses, shooting sly looks at the dumbstruck tall Host. "I wonder why—"

"She freaked out—"

"When she was talking to Mori-senpai."

"He _did_ attack her," Haruhi pointed out the obvious, frowning at the other Host's obliviousness.

Tamaki seemed to come back to himself, muttering quietly. "A terrified expression like that doesn't belong on a maiden's face."

Hunny frowned sadly. Lower lip quivering, he hugged Usa-chan tightly. "I don't think she likes Takashi."

Haruhi sighed, watching Mori's face as the wheels turned in his mind. First shock, then hurt and guilt filled his eyes as he gazed fixedly ahead. Slowly, he bent to rest his elbow on his knee, cradling his face in his hand. Pome padded slowly up to him, head quirked inquiringly. All eyes settled on the spiky-haired Host as Hunny tugged worriedly at his sleeve.

"Takashi? Are you okay?" He asked anxiously, brown eyes wide and puppy-like.

Slowly, Mori turned to look at Hunny. "Aa. I'm fine."

He attempted to rise, putting his hand on the table to push himself up. Immediately, the table gave under the amount of weight Mori was putting on it, leaving him sitting on the floor with a pile of sweets strewn around him, staring blankly at the expensive carpeting.

"Mori-senpai's feeling guilty again." Kaoru pointed out the obvious.

Hikaru jumped in, looking grave. "He's just going to get clumsier if we don't do something."

Kyoya frowned; punching in the amount the pile of sweets Mori had ruined in his calculator and the amount needed to clean the carpet. He made a mental note to add the total to Haruhi's debt as he closed the laptop with a snap.

…_Shit.

* * *

_

**A/N: Well? How'd I do?**

**Special thanks to; sethrox9730, WerewolvesMoon, KageNoNeko, novellover, LookOutShe'sGotAPen, and Mariel of Fantasy. And, as always, my beta HowCouldThisHappenToMe.**

**Thank you!**

**Signing out,  
Dragon of Twilight!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Twilight: Hm…I think I work better depressed. I don't own Ouran.

* * *

**

_. Doe Eyes ._

… _an Ouran High School Host Club fanfiction_

_--_

_Doe Eyes © Dragon of Twilight_

_  
Ouran High School Host Club © Bisco Hatori_

_This introduction format © B a y o – B a y o_

_--_

CHAPTER F O U R:  
_"Unwelcome Visitors"

* * *

_

Zenmyo hunched down over her microscope, trying to concentrate on the purple stained cells in front of her. But the person hovering over her shoulder would not be ignored.

"So, what happened at that Ouran place?" Nodoka asked for the hundredth time, blue eyes wide with supposed innocence. Her tone was _dripping_ concern, but the object of Nodoka's years of teasing was not fooled in the slightest.

After she'd managed to escape Ouran's maze-like halls, she'd leapt onto her bike without even saying goodbye to the bewildered guard and pedaled furiously for the apartment that she called home. Abandoning her bike on the lawn, she'd collapsed into bed despite the fact that it was only late afternoon, and drifted off to sleep, immensely grateful it was Saturday. She only had classes four days of the week that lasted from nine in the morning to one in the afternoon.

When she'd woken, she'd found her shin and shoulder bruised, her stomach growling, a dozen irate messages from Nodoka on her answering machine, and her bike stolen. She hadn't really been angry, more resigned than anything; it was her own fault and the clinic was only a ten-minute walk away, but she didn't have the money for a new one. Nodoka did pay her for clinic duty, but she wasn't afraid of docking her pay if Zenmyo didn't do her job.

Of which Nodoka gleefully informed her as she dragged herself through the doors of the clinic to feed and medicate the outside animals. Zenmyo sulked through her chores and by the time she had withstood another battering from Mika, this time getting a hoof directly on the bruise she had acquired on her shoulder, she was exhausted and not looking forward to her university classes the next day.

After her outside chores had been done, Nodoka had been merciful and set her to looking at blood and fecal smears of the small animals inside the clinic to check their condition. She didn't seem to notice the disappearance of the pet carrier or the tranquilizer rifle, despite her OCD-like tendencies.

Zenmyo counted it as one of life's little miracles. But she wasn't off the hook yet. The stare she could feel on the back of her head demanded an answer.

"Nothing happened." Zenmyo mumbled unconvincingly. She flinched as Nodoka's hand came down on her sore shoulder, gripping lightly. She tried not to wither in her seat as the older woman squeezed, sending shocks of pain down her arm.

"This—" She gave a particularly hard squeeze that made Zenmyo whimper. "—Doesn't seem like nothing."

Zenmyo's lip quivered at the memories rather than the slight ache, tears of humiliation welling up and she sniffled. Instantly, Nodoka was hovering over her, petting the fluffy mop with gentle strokes, smiling widely.

"You don't have to tell me now, my little Zen-chan." Nodoka's voice was a high singsong as she bent to give the little brunette a hard hug. Zenmyo giggled as the black-haired woman huffed in her ear. "But I'll find out sooner or later."

Despite the ominous words, her tone was playful and tinged with her usual impish attitude. Comforted by the familiar teasing, Zenmyo laughed and lightly shoved her away, making shooing gestures. Grinning, Nodoka retreated to the front desk. Unfortunately for Zenmyo, the door to the lab was right next to the admissions desk and from there Nodoka resumed her attempts to get information.

"So, it says here that you were phoned to go catch a tanuki," she called, her voice deceptively innocent. "How come I don't see a new tenant?"

Her smile melted away to a hard frown. "He had an owner." Zenmyo explained shortly, feeling a cold shiver run through her spine. She bent further over the microscope, seeking distraction in the swirling blue-strained patterns on the slide.

Spotting the brief tremor in the arm Zenmyo was using to adjust the scope; Nodoka leaned over, eyeing Zenmyo shrewdly. "Mm-hmm…"

That unnerved the girl more than any other response could.

Zenmyo eyed the open door, out of which she could see the back of Nodoka's head as she bent over the computer, for about fifteen minutes. Eventually the paranoia faded as she could concentrate on the slides again. Squeezing a drop of fresh blood on one end of a slide, Zenmyo used a separate slide to smear the blood over the slide's length and left it to dry.

_The aim is to get a region where the cells are spaced far enough apart to be counted and differentiated_. She recited to herself, watching the smear slowly change color. When it turned a pinkish-brown, she gently dipped the slide briefly in a small glass of methanol to fix the blood to the slide. _After fixation, the slide is stained to distinguish the cells from each other._

Learning techniques to better care for the animals in her charge was one of Zenmyo's greatest reasons to choosing to become a veterinarian and attend a university. She knew most of the basic techniques, but she enjoyed reading about them and learning simpler and more efficient ways to do them. The dull monotony of searching the slides for microbes and parasites, noting the ones that were already there, logging in the white cell counts, and admiring the large lymphocytes that were occasionally captured by the methanol fixing was somewhat soothing to her.

Which made it all the more jarring when Nodoka's voice reached her, giddy with an unnerving mix of bemusement, humor, and a devilish delight that made her toes curl.

"Hey, Zen-chan~! Got some people here who want to see you!" She called again, and Zenmyo turned her head to see her pointing to someone in the waiting room.

"Who?" Zenmyo asked uninterestedly, bending over the slides once more. "I'm busy doing your job."

"You'll have to come and see!"

Heaving a sigh, she halfheartedly turned, eyes reluctantly following Nodoka's pointing finger to the front door as she silently condemned Nodoka's one-track mind. It was either work or socializing, and she couldn't decide which mattered more. It certainly kept Zenmyo on her toes like she was walking on sun-baked concrete, and it was just as painful.

She was so surprised when she saw _them_ standing outside that she accidentally turned the adjustment knob too hard, and the end connected hard with the glass slide, shattering it. Her eyes were wider than saucers, her heart hammering in her chest as she gawked stupidly at the Host Club with her mouth hanging open.

Eventually, her mouth snapped shut with a low moan. _This is too much! Have mercy, mighty overlord…please, just kill me and spare me the embarrassment!_

Finally, she tuned in to the loud chatter of their voices. She suddenly became aware that her palms were clammy and her heart was beating so fast she could feel it in her fingertips.

_Why did they have to come here? How'd they find out where I work?!_

"My dear, may I ask your name?" Tamaki was saying to Nodoka flirtatiously.

"Don't get carried away, Tamaki-senpai. We only came here so Mori-senpai could apologize to Zenmyo." Haruhi's annoyed voice was instantly recognizable.

Zenmyo could almost see Nodoka's eyebrows climbing their way up her forehead. To her horror and embarrassment, when Nodoka spoke again, her voice was low and sultry, seasoned with all her sixty year's worth of experience. Immediately, Zenmyo made a beeline for the front desk, a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach.

"Sure." The _much_ older woman purred, leaning over the desk to tip the blond teen's chin with a delicate touch. "It's Matsumoto Nodoka. But _you_, my handsome prince, may address me however you think is appropriate."

Zenmyo had the urge to slap her hand over her eyes when she managed to see what was going on. The rest of the Host Club stared blankly at the scene before them, watching this strange woman seduce their king. Tamaki stared dazedly into Nodoka's dark blue eyes, his face cradled in her hand, struck speechless for what might have been the first time in his life. He was used to women swooning under his touch and before his sweet words, but he'd never had one return his attentions in quite this way. Nodoka was perfectly aware of what she was doing, and, from the other side of the desk so the others couldn't see, wiggled her fingers at Zenmyo in a hand signal that had the usually timid girl practically leaping onto the counter to push them apart.

"Okay, Nodoka. I'll take it from here." Her voice was resigned and slightly angry. _You'll get your answers soon enough, you crafty old witch._

"It seems my presence is no longer welcome." The black-haired woman tilted her head, putting her index finger to her pouting lips. "Sorry, Tamaki-kun, but you're a little young for me. Maybe when you're older." With a saucy wink, she retreated into the back room.

Zenmyo slapped her forehead hard enough to leave a red mark. _Someone kill me…_

"Older? How old is she?" Kaoru asked, his voice slightly incredulous.

Hikaru looked like he was still trying to recover, and only let out a slow whistle. Tamaki blinked, finally snapping out of his daze to stare expectantly at Zenmyo.

"Yes, I'd like to know as well, despite how rude it is to ask for a lady's age." He looked slightly pained at that.

Zenmyo smirked, and the twins drew back slightly, looking decidedly nervous. At the sight of Zenmyo's strained, though still smiling face, Hunny smiled weakly from on top of Mori's head, looking a bit frightened.

"Zen-chan's smiling."

Mori, holding back a shiver himself, replied, "Yeah."

Tamaki's eyes widened as a mirthless chuckle escaped from her mouth, and Kyoya—standing in front of the bulletin board that held pictures of all the adopted animals that the clinic had rescued—looked up from his ever-present black notebook, eyebrow raised. The smirk slowly softened into a softer, comforting smile that, for some reason, did not make them feel any better.

She walked around the counter, placing a hand gently on Tamaki's shoulder. "Tamaki, Nodoka's sixty four."

There was complete silence for about ten seconds before all hell broke loose.

Tamaki let out a shriek that sent Zenmyo reeling back with her ears ringing and sent her hiding behind Haruhi again, this time in reflex. Babbling unintelligibly, Tamaki rushed over to Kyoya, reaching out for him with both arms. Kyoya casually moved away, the picture of unruffled nonchalance. Mori scooped up a staring Hunny and carried him after Kyoya as the king of the Host Club locked his arms around the shocked Hikaru and Kaoru's necks and proceeded to wail loudly in their ears, making them start protesting. Of course, they had to yell to be heard over him, which made Tamaki yell _louder_…

Tugging Haruhi behind the counter, Zenmyo pulled the second rolling chair over and sat her on it, slumping down herself with a sigh.

"Sixty four, huh?" Haruhi stated expressionlessly.

"My boss likes to mess with people." Was the sheepish reply. Massaging the bridge of her nose, Zenmyo reached for a milk bone from the kitty-shaped container perched on the counter. "I knew he'd take it badly, but not _that_ badly."

The other girl gave her an odd look as she bit down on the dog treat with a satisfied crunch before cautiously taking one herself. "It's Tamaki-senpai we're talking about here, right? He overreacts to everything."

"I suppose…" She murmured, before biting her lip. "…Haruhi, what are they doing here?!"

Finally getting to the question she'd wanted to ask for the last five minutes, Zenmyo leaned forward furtively, flicking a nervous glance at the orgy of mass hysteria that was Tamaki and the twins.

Haruhi sighed heavily, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling, the very picture of exasperation. "You left your bag at the Club and I was planning on returning it to you. They insisted on coming along."

Pitifully, Zenmyo whimpered with frustration before glancing around briefly. "Where _is_ my bag, then? Not that I'm not happy to see you, Haruhi, but I have chores…"

"Mori-senpai has it." Haruhi's voice was flatly unsympathetic.

Zenmyo flinched instinctively, remembering the tall, silent boy that she'd almost managed to forget was in the same building as her. She forced a pleased smile. "Really? Good! Could you go get it for me?"

"No." Haruhi shook her head, fixing the other girl with a disappointed look. "You really need to get over your fear of him, Zenmyo. Mori-senpai's a good guy."

"So you say…" Zenmyo mumbled, frowning and looking away.

The girl beside her reached out a comforting hand. "If you could just tell him why you're afraid, I'm sure—"

"No!" Her reply burst out much louder than she meant to, and she blushed when the noises from Tamaki and the twins stopped.

Tamaki poked his head over the counter cautiously. "Are you all right, Zenmyo-chan?"

Zenmyo glanced up at him as the rest of the Host Club came over to the front desk, her face a picture of despair and humiliation. She flinched when she felt Mori's eyes on her, and Haruhi rested her hand on Zenmyo's shoulder, giving Mori a sympathetic look after shaking her head. His eyes saddened, and he gently set the black bag down before moving away. There was a tense silence as Zenmyo attempted to ignore the questions in their eyes.

Kyoya's smooth voice breaking the silence was a huge relief. "Perhaps we came at a bad time. Yuhi-san, would you be as so kind as to stop by the Host Club after your university classes tomorrow?"

"University classes?" The twins exclaimed in unison.

Hunny blinked, gasping childishly. "Zen-chan, you're a university student?"

"Her young looks are deceiving!" Tamaki said delightedly, eyeing Zenmyo with new interest. "You age beautifully, Zenmyo-hime!"

Briefly forgetting the eyes trained on her, Zenmyo gaped at Kyoya. _How does he know I have classes tomorrow?!_

As if reading what she was thinking, Kyoya pushed up his glasses with a finger, making them flash white. "I looked at your files." Then, as though there was nothing wrong with that, he smiled warmly at her, though it seemed oddly malevolent. "The Club resides in Music Room 3. Ask any student and they'll be able to direct you there. You are invited to attend tomorrow free of charge."

Zenmyo opened her mouth, ready to politely decline, but a glint in Kyoya's steel gray eyes made her think better of it and nodded mutely. _He really _is_ the Shadow King…_

"Excellent. We will await your return."

Tamaki threw his arms into the air. "I have a new daughter!" He declared tearfully to the ceiling.

The twins slowly began to grin at the thought of this new, timid toy. Haruhi shook her head, looking at her so sympathetically she felt her stomach knot. Hunny cheered and Mori managed a small smile. Maybe this would give him a chance to apologize…

And thus, she was trapped in the web of the Host Club.

_I'm screwed…_

"Ne, you look sick, Zen-chan. Do you want to borrow Usa-chan?"

* * *

**A/N: You like?**

**Special thanks to; sethrox9730, WerewolvesMoon, KageNoNeko, novellover, LookOutShe'sGotAPen, and Mariel of Fantasy. And, as always, my beta HowCouldThisHappenToMe.**

**Thank you!**

**Signing out,  
Dragon of Twilight!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Twilight: God, I miss the furball. I don't own Ouran. I'm sorry for the wait; I'm moving to Australia!

* * *

**

_. Doe Eyes ._

… _an Ouran High School Host Club fanfiction_

_Doe Eyes © Dragon of Twilight_

_Ouran High School Host Club © Bisco Hatori_

_This introduction format © B a y o – B a y o_

CHAPTER F I V E:  
_"Welcome To The Host Club"

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_

University classes the next day were six hours of pure hell for one sore, aching, sleep-deprived Zenmyo.

Leaving her apartment at five in the morning to go do her chores at the clinic was routine, but Mika seemed especially lively, and took full advantage of Zenmyo's weakened state to lead her on an almost half-hour long chase before she was able to catch and medicate the doe. Arriving at the university after a twenty minute walk to the bus stop, Zenmyo took notes mechanically in a dull-eyed stupor as the professor droned on in his usual toneless monotone, occasionally snapping out of her daze to arrange the ice pack she'd strapped to her poor, abused shoulder.

Sloughing through the day and ignoring the stares thrown her way, she'd somehow managed to forget about having to go to the Host Club after classes. She was abruptly reminded of it after her cell phone buzzed incessantly in her pocket, startling her into letting out a loud yelp as she walked home. The strap of her black bag—crammed full of books and her laptop—cut into her sore shoulder as she jumped, briefly bringing tears to her eyes.

Cheeks burning, she doggedly ignored the stares from passersby and yanked the phone out, checking the caller ID. She didn't recognize the number, but answered with an irritated "Hello?"

"Yuhi-san, I do hope you haven't forgotten about our little agreement." Kyoya's deceptively pleasant tone came through the speakers. Zenmyo nearly dropped the phone.

"O-Of course I haven't!" She replied guiltily, eyes wide. "How did you get my number?"

Ignoring the question, Kyoya said frostily, "You aren't a very good liar. The Host Club opens in twenty minutes. You'd better hurry if you don't want the twins to think up something _special_ for you." _Click_.

Zenmyo snapped the phone shut, slumping in defeat. "Why do they want me around so much?" she asked the sky in despair.

Little did Zenmyo know of the chaos that had been going on at the Ouran Host Club ever since leaving the clinic. Tamaki was beside himself, desperate to make up for his offenses in ordering an obviously fragile young lady to be tied up and constantly brooding in his corner of woe, while Haruhi was distracted with worry for her new friend. Mori was clumsier than ever, stumbling through his classes and tipping over desks, racking up costs that Kyoya was rapidly becoming irritated over. Only Hunny and the twins seemed unaffected, though they went about their Hosting with a slightly halfhearted, mechanical air, and cast expectant and anticipatory looks towards the doors.

Now, Kyoya sat silently at his laptop, a slight scowl on his handsome face as he eyed the clock. Zenmyo was almost eight minutes late and counting. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Mori nodding at a request for more cake from one of his customers and moving to get up.

"Oh, I'll get it, Takashi!" Hunny volunteered cheerfully, launching himself off the couch to go for the Host Club room's personal kitchen. He bowed to the four customers they had that day, pouting cutely. "Takashi's not feeling very well, so he's not supposed to get up."

Mori nodded at Hunny's words, although it was obvious to anyone that knew him that his thoughts were a mile away. Usually, he'd at least look directly at his customers and listen intently to what they had to say, but today he stared off into space, only responding to their questions when they actually touched him to snap him out of it. Even these four girls realized something was strange, though they were all of similar shy temperaments so they didn't ask what was wrong.

"Of course, Hunny!" The girl with shortly bobbed black hair and dark brown eyes answered cheerfully, smiling gently at the tall boy sitting across from her. "We'll just wait for you to get back."

The other three nodded in solemn agreement.

"Thank you~!" Hunny trilled while grinning widely, though Kyoya caught the worried glance at Mori as he bounded off.

Kyoya's jaw clenched briefly as he spotted Tamaki once again retreating to his corner of woe, leaving a circle of worried and unsatisfied customers behind him. He could understand why Zenmyo's obvious fear had affected over half of the Host Club in such a deep way. Most people who interacted with them were less fragile and could easily take the craziness that happened on a regular basis, but Zenmyo seemed much less able to handle it. Tamaki was sorry for what he'd ordered the twins to do, but the desperation he showed in getting her to return seemed to speak of a second motivation. The Shadow King suspected it had something to do with the Host Club's unofficial golden rule—make every girl happy. Everyone in the Host Club, like it or not, was subject to this rule. To even think of defying it pulled guiltily at one's conscience, making it impossible to resist Tamaki's good-willed antics.

But it wasn't the work of the Rule alone or the rising costs of broken tea sets that drove Kyoya to force Zenmyo to attend the Host Club free of charge. That knowledge was his and his alone. Black brows furrowed briefly and glasses flashed as Kyoya again looked at the clock.

Fifteen minutes late.

A flash of blond alerted him of Tamaki's presence, so the Shadow King didn't flinch as the Tamaki's tearful blue eyes appeared in his line of vision. "Do you think Zenmyo-hime won't show up, Mommy?"

Letting out an imperceptible sigh, Kyoya placed a hand on the blonde's forehead, removing Tamaki from his personal bubble with one brisk shove. "Of course not, Tamaki." He replied icily, flipping open his cell with one hand and checking the calls. "I called her earlier and she informed me that she was on her way."

Haruhi heard this on her way to the kitchen, remarking dryly, "More liked blackmailed her into coming." She was ignored.

Tamaki pouted, lip quivering. "But—!"

A loud creak cut him off as the doors edged open, revealing a panting, haggard-looking Zenmyo. Letting the doors close with a soft click, she leaned forward to catch her breath, hands on her knees. "Sorry…I'm late…"

Across the room, Hunny called out, waving delightedly as all eyes turned to her. "Zen-chan~! You made it!" Next to him, Mori sat up a little straighter and glanced over at her before looking away again.

Hikaru and Kaoru's eyes narrowed as they took in her casual clothes, guessing correctly that she had taken no interest at all in making herself look nice for them. Both let out an indignant huff.

"I suppose we aren't important enough to have her at least try and look presentable." Hikaru sniffed, his nose haughtily in the air. The girls around them tittered nervously, looking curiously over at Zenmyo, who was staring in their direction. Kaoru gasped dramatically, turning away from Hikaru and hugging himself like he was cold.

"Does…Does that mean…I'm not important, Hikaru?" He whispered, clenching his fists at his sides, relaxing as Hikaru pulled him close. The girls instantly leaned forward, eyes focused and faces alive with eagerness.

The black haired twin nuzzled against his sibling's ear, whispering fiercely, "No, Kaoru. You will always be important to me."

"Hikaru…"

_W-What the hell? _Zenmyo's mouth gaped open at this display and her cheeks flamed a bright pink before pointedly looking away. _Don't look at it, don't look at it, don't look at it…_

Kaoru and Hikaru looked at each other before pulling identical evil smirks and moving to get up. Abruptly, both of them caught Kyoya's lens flare. Something about his demeanor seemed to warn them to behave themselves in front of the guests, and they both briefly indulged in a little sulking before they allowed a worried customer to cheer them up.

"Zenmyo-hime, you came!" Tamaki let out an almost girlish squeal and leapt for her, arms outstretched for a gleeful hug.

Almost reflexively, Zenmyo let out a startled squeal and started running. Thoughts like '_Is this guy for real?'_ and _'Why me?'_ circled through her mind as she looked frantically around the room for Haruhi while Tamaki slowly caught up, his longer legs able to take much larger strides. Unable to find Haruhi to hide behind, the chase continued for several minutes.

In front of the bewildered eyes of the twenty or so girls in the room, Zenmyo weaved around tables and hid behind pillars, trying desperately to shake the psychopath behind her. Tamaki, on the other hand, jumped over tables and vaulted over anything in his way, once including using Hikaru's head as a springboard and ignoring the resulting "Hey!" The other Hosts watched with a mixture of surprise at the fact that Zenmyo was actually running from the younger Tamaki, slight irritation that was more on Kyoya's part as he watched the customers gradually get more confused, and an air of general amusement settled over the room. The four girls at Hunny and Mori's table were gripped by a small case of the giggles, which proved contagious and spread throughout the room until even the more serious girls that designated Kyoya were laughing slightly, most with a hand held delicately over their mouths. Hunny rolled back and forth on a girl's lap, giggling madly while Mori watched the chase with a small smile. Hikaru and Kaoru stared with raised eyebrows, but gave off an air of amusement all the same. Well, Kaoru did. Hikaru seemed irritated, and glared at Tamaki for using his head like a pole vault. Kyoya's eyebrow slowly climbed up his forehead as he observed the guest's surprising acceptance of this sudden development before penning something in his notebook.

Out of the kitchen came Zenmyo's savior, speaking with the dull monotone of a guardian angel. "Please stop chasing her, Tamaki-senpai."

Instantly, Tamaki stopped, frozen in a position that seemed impossible to hold. And it was. He crashed to the floor, ending up in a twitching heap of blond hair and expensive blue cloth. Zenmyo watched carefully from behind a couch with some concern, but kept her distance as though he was a sleeping alligator.

Seeing that no one was going to come help him, Tamaki sprang up and greeted Haruhi cheerfully. "Hello, my dear daughter!"

The ladies attending the club giggled slightly; they'd long gotten used to the fact that Tamaki addressed Haruhi as his daughter and most just put it to Tamaki's overprotective attitude toward their 'family'. They still didn't know Haruhi was a girl, and the Club was still doing it's damnedest to make sure it stayed that way.

Tamaki continued woefully, dramatically pressing the back of his hand against his forehead. "It seems as though Zenmyo-hime is still tense after the little fright she had yesterday." He announced woefully, proceeding to introduce Zenmyo to the room at large, much to the young woman's embarrassment and discomfort. "This is our new guest, Zenmyo-hime from the university." He pointed to the figure hiding behind the couch before casting a suddenly stern eye over his guests. "She is your sempai, so please treat her with respect."

The girls nodded, some giggling nervously, some solemnly, but all in general seemed to take well to the new guest among them. Tamaki nodded approvingly, beaming a warm smile around the room. The girls who met his eyes blushed and busied themselves with playing with whatever happened to be nearby. Zenmyo watched in amazement at his sudden calm, princely attitude, and could only stare numbly at him when he gently took her hand and led her towards the center of the room.

"Now, Zenmyo-hime…" His voice was gentle and exaggeratedly soft, and she gritted her teeth as she realized he was treating her like a nervous fawn. She knew she had nerves of glass, but even those who acknowledged it didn't take any precautions to make life easier for her stress levels. What irritated her was that she actually felt grateful for his care, and the realization made her eye twitch.

"Who would you prefer to be your Host for today?"

"Eh?" She blurted, not quite sure what he meant. Tamaki smiled patiently, and Zenmyo wondered vaguely where the crazy, hyperactive manchild had gone.

"What type do you prefer? The Devil type?"

The twins grinned evilly at her from across the room, again unnervingly in sync.

"The boy Lolita?" Hunny waved enthusiastically.

"The Cool type?" Kyoya glanced up and smiled in a warm, vaguely artificial manner before returning to entertaining his two guests, who each had their own laptop.

"The Wild type?" Zenmyo swallowed the lump of fear that rose in her throat as Mori glanced up, briefly meeting her eyes before dropping his gaze to the tray on his table. Undeterred, Tamaki continued, pulling her closer. Zenmyo squeaked embarrassingly as his arm wound around her waist. "Perhaps the Princely type?"

She leaned away as far as she could while still actually being touched by him. Tamaki pouted briefly before brightening up. "And then there's the Natural type." Zenmyo followed his dreamlike stare to Haruhi, who was sampling different portions of a couple bento boxes her customers had apparently made.

Zenmyo's face lit up like a Christmas tree and she grabbed for the lifeline with both hands. "Haruhi! I pick Haruhi."

Looking delighted, Tamaki turned and opened his mouth to call the small brown-haired girl, only to be cut short as a pale hand slapped over his mouth. Zenmyo followed it up a blue-sleeved arm, past a shock of black hair to lock eyes with the Shadow Prince.

Hand falling from a shocked Tamaki's mouth, Kyoya smiled at her and said smoothly, "I'm afraid Haruhi has reached the customer limit for today and can't accept any more until tomorrow. May I recommend Mori-sempai? He's always very patient with new customers and works well with those who are shy."

Offended slightly, Zenmyo asked, "What makes you think I'm shy?"

Kyoya's false smile widened, and he took a step towards her. "Well, you have rather opted to hide behind Tamaki rather than confront me openly."

To her dismay, she had indeed edged behind Tamaki as Kyoya approached, using the confused blond boy as a human meat-shield. Cheeks blazing, she focused on Kyoya's tie, only to gasp in shock as slim, pale fingers slid under her chin to tilt her head up, forcing her to meet his eyes. Shaken, almost frightened, Zenmyo jerked back. Behind her glasses, wide green eyes stayed locked with his, even as she felt her legs tremble. In the background, she saw Tamaki walking away, apparently satisfied that Kyoya had taken charge.

_No, no, no! Don't leave me with the vulture! He scares me!_

"You recoil from another's touch." The gray eyes were smug and confident as he said it, like he'd expected her to do that all along. "Those are usually indicators of one being shy."

Instead of feeling angry, to Zenmyo's horror and dismay, she felt tears welling up for absolutely no reason. Biting her lip harshly, she looked away. Her voice wavered pitifully as she mumbled, "Fine, whatever. But I want someone else."

A vaguely disappointed looked flashed across Kyoya's face before he schooled it into a mask of business, speaking so casually it was as if he hadn't just invaded Zenmyo's personal bubble.

"Very well. Haruhi is out of the question, so I would recommend you sample each of them. You are a new customer, so this is the only time I will allow it without making a prior appointment." Smoothly ignoring Zenmyo's silently moving lips as she weakly tried to find somewhere to cut in he began to walk off, throwing his last sentence over his shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have guests to attend to…"

Zenmyo opened her mouth to yell after him, but closed it after a couple seconds with a click. Angry, frustrated tears pricked at her eyes, and she sniffled a little as she wiped them away. Haruhi was watching her with a concerned expression, but Zenmyo caught her eye and smiled weakly, giving her a thumbs up. To Zenmyo's surprise, the look of skepticism she received in reply cheered her up immensely, and she gave Haruhi a much more confident smile as she began walking toward the twins.

She had a sudden vision of someone walking toward the edge of a cliff and realized that that was basically what she was doing. Forcing down the bile that rose up in her throat from her roiling stomach, she sucked in a deep breath and dropped off the cliff.

* * *

**A/N: You like?**

**Special thanks to; sethrox9730, WerewolvesMoon, KageNoNeko, novellover, LookOutShe'sGotAPen, and Mariel of Fantasy. And, as always, my beta HowCouldThisHappenToMe.**

**Thank you!**

**Signing out,  
Dragon of Twilight!**


End file.
